Abstract

The time-resolved dynamics of resonant and nonresonant broadband picosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering(CARS) signals in gas-phase media are investigated. For pump and probe beams and Stokes beams, the magnitude of the nonresonant signals are decreased by more than three orders of magnitude when the probe beam is delayed by , whereas the resonant nitrogen CARS signal is reduced only by a factor of 3. Investigation of these time dynamics is important for understanding the optimal time delay for nonresonant background suppression as well as for understanding the collisional and Doppler dependence of the resonant CARS signals.

Received 03 August 2005Accepted 29 November 2005Published online 28 December 2005

Acknowledgments:

Funding for this research was provided by the Air Force Research Laboratory, Propulsion Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, under Contract No. F33615-03-D-2329-DO 002, and by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (Anne Mutsuura, Program Manager).